MILNEWS.ca Highlights – February 17, 2017

#CANvsISIL

• “Sajjan says he opposes loss of tax break for soldiers in Kuwait”
• DND’s latest on Operation IMPACT

Everyone Else Vs. ISIL

• “Syria Situation Report: February 2 – 16, 2017” (ISW)
• “Iraq Situation Report: February 11-16, 2017” (ISW)
• “Kenya may close the world’s largest refugee camp over fear of terrorist activity”

#CAN-#USA Stuff

• “Canada will make new investments in defence, Sajjan says” – “Harjit Sajjan: New Investments In Defence Will Follow Policy Review” – “Canada looking at more money for military : Sajjan” – “Le ministre de la Défense conclut les réunions des ministres de la Défense de l’OTAN et sur la lutte contre l’EI”

• Colonel Ted’s Take:  “… If President Trump ties defence burden sharing to NATFA, for example, then we are stymied … all those expensive green, feminist and sunny ways projects that Prime Minister Trudeau and the Liberal Party and many, many Canadians like so much will have to give way to defence spending ~ which many, many Canadians dislike … some quite intensely.”
• “NORAD eyes upgrades to protect against missile threat” – “General Lori Robinson, commander of NORAD, visited 22 Wing North Bay, Ontario, to observe the work carried out there in support of the NORAD mission to defend North America …”

Ukraine

• “Ukrainian Canadians call for extension of military mission to Ukraine” – “Strong Support in Canada to Continue Military Aid to Ukraine – (CAN) Defense Ministry”
• More on the Energy Emergency/”Coal From the East” Blockade  “State of emergency in Ukraine’s electricity generation coming into force today” – “President: Participants of “blockade” in the east first of all cause damage to the state” (UKR Pres page) – “President: We will find the best way to end the blockade, protect the right of Ukrainians on both sides of the touch line and prevent destabilization of the situation by demagogues” (UKR pres page) – ” “Donbass will stand the blockade!” – DPR Head Alexander Zakharchenko” – “Ukraine seeks to cut annual anthracite consumption from 9 to 6 mln tonnes” – “Poroshenko enacts NSDC’s decision on urgent measures to neutralize threats of Ukraine’s energy security” – “Ukrainian law enforcement agencies instructed to ensure security on critical infrastructure” – “U.S. Embassy concerned about coal supply blockade in Donbas, urging Kyiv to diversify supplies” – “EU calls to stop Donbas trade blockade” –  “Avdiivka coke plant short of coal, – CEO” – “Prime Minister stands for strengthening accountability of those who blocks coal supplies” (UKR cabinet office)
• Really???  “LPR and DPR prepare humanitarian aid program for Kiev-occupied Donbass territories —  The Heads of the DPR and LPR Igor Plotnitsky and Alexander Zakharchenko have developed a program for rendering humanitarian assistance to residents of Donbass Areas temporary occupied by Kiev. It will be made public officially at a ceremony in Lugansk with participation of two Republics’ Heads on Friday …” – “Zakharchenko and Plotnitsky promise aid to Kiev-occupied Donbass” – “DPR, LPR announce start of humanitarian programme for occupied Donbass”
• MH-17 Shootdown  “Identifying Khmuryi, the (RUS) Major General Linked to the Downing of MH17” (bellingcat OSINT) – “Ukraine To Renew Search For Remains At MH17 Crash Site After Bone Found” – “Ukraine to renew search for remains at MH17 crash site”
• Updates from All Sides   “Latest from the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), based on information received as of 19:30, 15 February 2017” – UKR govt ATO map, 17 Feb 2017 – “Some 2,197 Ukrainian military killed since conflict start in Donbas”  – “Donbas: 66 attacks on Ukrainian positions over last 24 hours”
• “Ukraine to regain Donbas using exclusively political, diplomatic methods – Poroshenko”
• “NATO to continue assisting in medical rehabilitation of Ukrainian military”
• “February 18 in Kiev held events dedicated to the second anniversary of the battle near Debaltseve and its participants – the defenders of Ukraine” (UKR MoD, in Ukrainian)
• “OSCE SMM’s report confirms gross violations of Minsk agreements, human rights by Russian militants”
• “Russia on cyber-offensive in Ukraine: new malware revealed”
• “Russia’s military activity increased in Crimea”
• “New UN report reveals obstacles to combat impunity for conflict-related sexual violence in Ukraine” (UN News Service) – “Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in Ukraine: 14 March 2014 to 31 January 2017” (UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights)
• “Minsk talks – smokescreen to prepare (UKR forces’) offensive”

Cold War 2.0

• “Remarks by Secretary Mattis and Secretary-General Stoltenberg at NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium — Remarks By Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis; NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, Feb. 15, 2017 …” (US DoD Info-machine)
  
• “Donald Trump’s mixed signals on Russia policy”
• “Coast Guard Tracking Russian Spy Ship Near Submarine Base In Groton” – more via Google News
  
• “NATO’s Black Sea Build-up Will Be Greeted by Russia’s Most Advanced Military Hardware” (Russia Insider)
• Saideman’s Semi-Spew:  “Mishandling NATO 101”
• “Options to Deter Russia Through U.S.-NATO Military Exercises” (Divergent Options paper)
• “Options for the Baltic States in an Uncertain Security Environment” (Divergent Options paper)
• “AP Interview: Lithuania confident of US commitment to NATO”
• “Government: Estonia is not gathering intelligence on allies” – “Estonia Refutes Reports of Espionage on US Administration Officials”
• “Fears in Eastern Europe over Russian ‘toxic cocktail’ “
• “Croats, too, wish to “contain Russia”; join NATO effort”
• “NATO: Russia targeted German army with fake news campaign”
• “Time Is Running Out for the (RUS) Fulcrum Fighter Jet”

Internal Security

• “Trump’s battle with U.S. intelligence community could slow the flow of key security info to Canada”
• “Trump’s travel ban is a gift to jihadi recruiters”
• “From Calgary to the Caliphate: Exploring the Unlikely Hotbed for ISIS Recruitment” (NATO Association of Canada)
• “The Other Extremism: Far-Right Movements and Vigilantism in Canada” (NATO Association of Canada)
• “Revoking Citizenship for Terrorism Offences: Testimony to the Senate studying Bill C-6” (National Security Law Blog)
• “Playing Fast and Loose with the Reporting of Terrorism” (Political Violence at a Glance blog)
• “Minneapolis Somali leaders warn against crossing into Canada”
• “Canada defends a law that would give U.S. border agents more power on Canadian soil”
• ” ‘How would you know what your rights are?’: Secret policies govern cellphone searches at the Canadian border”
• “Is calling the Prime Minister a “white supremacist terrorist” hate speech?”
• Lux Ex Umbra blog:  “List of Senior U.S. Liaison Officers at CSE”

What’s Canada Buying?

• Big Honkin’ Ships  “Talk to us about the Canadian Surface Combatant Judy Foote, talk to us — companies want answers”
• Wanted:  “RFI for RCN ISTAR UAS project — Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) is requesting Industry feedback regarding Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) for the Government of Canada for use by the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) …” – more in RFI package (PDF)
• Wanted:  “Electronic Warfare Payload … The Department of National Defence (DND) has a requirement to procure three (3) Electronic Warfare (EW) Payload systems that are designed to function in a marine environment with an existing Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) …” – more in Statement of Requirements and Statement of Work (PDF)
• Wanted:  “Advanced Driver Training … The Department of National Defence requires tactical driver training to be delivered at the offerors location, for the Canadian Forces Military Police Academy …”

Veterans & Helping Veterans (or Not?)

• “This Canadian Veteran’s Death Is On All Of Us”
• “A former soldier says his passion for junior hockey in Manitoba is giving him a new purpose in life, after he was medically discharged in 2013 due to post-traumatic stress disorder …”
• “Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or Post Deployment Alienation Disorder” (NATO Association of Canada)

Other

• From the Info-machine  “Chief of the Defence Staff Commendation and Canadian Forces Medallion for Distinguished Service” – “Members of HMCS St. John’s volunteer at a Romanian charity” – “Canadian military team competes in regatta in India Navy”

World War Two

• “The quality of Black Canadians recruited to the RCAF during and after the Second World War – even before Blacks were officially allowed to join the Air Force – is reflected in their achievements during and following their military service …”

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